U.S. patent application number 09/963264 was filed with the patent office on 2002-04-11 for retractable cable assembly.
Invention is credited to Shenkal, Yuval, Stepancich, George.
Application Number | 20020040945 09/963264 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26930232 |
Filed Date | 2002-04-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020040945 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stepancich, George ; et
al. |
April 11, 2002 |
Retractable cable assembly
Abstract
A retractable cable reel assembly that has a spring loaded cable
reel which attaches to a midpoint of a cable and when rotated by
the spring, winds both ends of the cable up on the cable reel. A
releasable detent arrangement is used to retain a desired amount of
cable extending from the assembly.
Inventors: |
Stepancich, George; (Dana
Point, CA) ; Shenkal, Yuval; (Cardiff, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GEORGE W FINCH
1620 26TH STREET, NORTH TOWER
SUITE 6000
SANTA MONICA
CA
90404
US
|
Family ID: |
26930232 |
Appl. No.: |
09/963264 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60236931 |
Sep 28, 2000 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/378.1 ;
242/385.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02G 11/02 20130101;
B65H 75/4431 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/378.1 ;
242/385.4 |
International
Class: |
B65H 075/48 |
Claims
1. A retractable assembly useful to connect electronic devices
including: an elongated connection having: a first end portion; a
central portion; and a second end portion; a reel having: a hub
including: a retainer engaged with said central portion; and a case
in which said reel is mounted having: at least one opening out
through which said elongated connection extends; and an elastic
member operatively connected to said case and said reel to bias
said reel for rotation to wind up said elongated connection on said
reel.
2. The retractable assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said case
further includes: two openings for said elongated connection about
180.degree. from each other.
3. The retractable assembly as defined in claim 1 further
including: a releasable ratchet assembly for said reel to retain
said reel in a releasable fixed position so that similar lengths of
said first and second portions of said elongated connection remain
extended from said case.
4. The retractable assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said reel
includes: a cylindrical reel side having: a circular outer edge;
and at least one engagement surface formed in said circular outer
edge, said retractable assembly further including: a releasable
ratchet assembly for said reel to retain said reel in a releasable
fixed position, said releasable ratchet assembly includes: a pawl
positioned for engagement with said at least one engagement surface
to prevent said elastic member from winding up said elongated
connection; elastic means to bias said pawl toward said circular
outer edge; and a pawl release to allow manual movement of said
pawl away from said circular outer edge whereby said elastic member
can wind up said elongated connection.
5. The retractable assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said
elongated connection is an electric wire connection between a
cellular telephone and an audio annunciator.
6. The retractable assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said case
is generally centered on said elongated connection extending from
said case.
7. The retractable assembly as defined in claim 1 further
including: a pawl positioned for engagement with said reel to
prevent said elastic member from winding up said elongated
connection; elastic means to bias said pawl into engagement with
said reel; and a pawl release positioned outside said case to allow
manual movement of said pawl away from engagement with said reel
whereby said elastic member can wind up said elongated
connection.
8. The retractable assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said
elongated connection is an electric wire connection between an
electronic device that produces an audio output and an audio
annunciator.
9. A cable retractor assembly for a cellular telephone including: a
cable having: a first end portion for connection to the cellular
telephone; a central portion; and a second end portion including:
audio output means extending therefrom; a reel having: a hub
including: a cable retainer engaged with said central portion; and
a housing in which said reel is mounted having: at least one cable
opening out through which said cable extends; and a spring
operatively connected to said case and said reel to bias said reel
for rotation in a direction to wind up said cable on said reel.
10. The cable retractor assembly as defined in claim 9 further
including: a releasable retention assembly for said reel to retain
said reel in a releasable fixed position so that similar lengths of
said first and second portions of said cable remain extended from
said housing.
11. The cable retractor assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said
reel includes: a reel side having: an outer edge; and at least one
abutment surface formed in said outer edge, said cable retractor
assembly further including: a releasable ratchet assembly for said
reel to retain said reel in at least one releasable fixed position,
said releasable ratchet assembly including: a pawl positioned for
engagement with said at least one abutment surface to prevent said
spring from winding up said cable; means to bias said pawl toward
said at least one abutment surface; and a pawl release to allow
manual movement of said pawl away from said circular outer edge
whereby said spring can wind up said cable.
12. The cable retractor assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said
housing is generally centered on said cable between said first and
second portions, said audio output means including: an earpiece
speaker, and said second portion also including: a microphone
extending therefrom spaced with respect to said ear piece speaker
so that when said earpiece speaker is positioned adjacent an ear of
a user, said microphone is positioned near the mouth of the
user.
13. The cable retractor assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said
housing is generally cylindrical in shape and includes: two
openings for said cable about 180.degree. from each other.
14. The cable retractor assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said
case further includes: two openings for said cable opposite from
each other.
15. The cable retractor assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said
housing is generally centered on said cable between said first and
second portions, said audio output means including: an earpiece
speaker, and said second portion also including: a microphone
extending therefrom.
16. An assembly for storing, winding up and extending cable, said
assembly including: a reel having: a cable retainer for engagement
with a cable; and a housing in which said reel is mounted for
rotation having: at least one cable opening out through which
opposite ends of a cable can be extended; and a spring operatively
connected between said case and said reel to bias said reel for
rotation in a direction to wind up cable on said reel.
17. The assembly as defined in claim 16 further including: a
releasable retention assembly for said reel to retain said reel in
releasable fixed positions whereby when said reel is in a fixed
position, similar lengths of cable remain extended from said
housing.
18. The assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein said case is
generally cylindrical in shape and includes: two openings for cable
radially opposite from each other out through which opposite ends
of a cable can be extended.
19. The assembly as defined in claim 18 wherein said reel includes:
a reel side having: an outer edge; and at least one abutment
surface formed in said outer edge, said assembly further including:
a pawl positioned for engagement with said at least one abutment
surface to prevent said spring from winding said reel; means to
bias said pawl into abutment with said at least one abutment
surface; and a pawl release operatively connected to said pawl for
manually overcoming said means to bias to release said pawl from
said at least one abutment surface, whereby said spring can wind up
cable on said reel or cable can be pulled therefrom in opposite
directions.
20. The assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein said housing is
generally cylindrical in shape having: a radial side surface
including: two openings about 180.degree. from each other for
movement of cable there through.
21. The assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein said housing is
generally cylindrical in outer shape having: a radial side surface
including: two openings about 180.degree. from each other for
movement of cable there through; a center post for attachment of
said spring, said spring being: a coil spring and having: a first
spring end connected to said center post; and a second spring end,
and said reel including: a cylindrical hub positioned about said
coil spring whereby said second spring end is connected to said
hub.
22. The assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein said housing
includes: two openings about 180.degree. from each other for
movement of cable there through; and a center post for attachment
of said spring, said spring being a coil spring and having: a first
spring end connected to said center post; and a second spring end,
and said reel including: a hub positioned about said coil spring
whereby said second spring end is connected to said hub.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Many electronic devices include cable connected accessories
such as speakers, computer input mice, headsets and the like which
are used at varying distances from the base electronic or
electrical device. In the case of telephones, a common expedient is
to provide a curly cord between the telephone base and the handset
to allow the handset to be moved a variable distance from the base
and yet not have excess lengths of cord present. However, curly
cords have a disadvantage because users commonly twist the handset
one turn every time the telephone is answered. This results in a
double twisted curly cord, which may not extend properly. In the
case of vacuum cleaners, it is common to provide a cable reel which
plays cord out for connection to a wall socket. Usually, the cable
reel is spring loaded to wind the cord up and includes some sort of
catch mechanism to maintain the cord extended from the reel case in
predetermined lengths. Since one end of the cord is being coiled
up, some sort of commutator is normally required between cord reel
and vacuum cleaner to assure electrical contact is maintained. In
other than electrical power applications, such commutators are
noisy and require almost constant maintenance
[0002] Optical cables are now being run in internal structures to
provide high speed communications. Since interior runs may be short
or long, a great deal of effort has been expended in developing
connectors for such optical cables that can be installed in the
field. Unfortunately, no matter how good the connector, alignment
between the connector and the optical fiber is critical and
connectors installed in a factory usually have less optical loss
than those installed in the field. Therefore, optical cables are
made at the factory in standard lengths greater than the expected
connection distance. Then the extra cable length is taken up by
wrapping the cable back and forth an overhead cable tray, coiling
it in walls, or just leaving it in a snarled mess behind computer
furniture.
[0003] In all the few applications mentioned above and many others,
it is desirable to provide means that neatly provide a cable the
right length without requiring unsightly coils, cable trays or, in
the case of optical cables, in the field connector
installation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In the present invention, a cable reel is provided that
retains a cable somewhere near its midpoint and winds up both ends
equally without twisting the cable. The reel is spring loaded to
wind its connected cable up from the center outward with the reel
continuing to float somewhere in the midpoint of the cable.
[0005] In use, one end of the cable is connected to a device and
the other is pulled so that cable plays out from the reel in
opposite directions with the reel remaining near a midpoint of the
cable and moving about half the distance the free end moves. The
reel and its case are constructed of light materials so the cable
reel assembly does not overly stress the cable. A catch mechanism
is provided so that once cable is pulled from the reel a desired
amount, it tends to remain with that amount extending from the
assembly until an optional catch within the assembly is manually
released to allow the spring to wind up the cable.
[0006] Some of the applications for the subject invention include:
connecting a handset to a conventional phone; connecting a headset
including earpiece and microphone to a conventional phone, a cell
phone, and a belt mounted wireless phone; and connections between
audio and video equipment or anyplace where a retractable "cable
stretcher" is needed. A particularly interesting application is
when optical cables are factory made to standard lengths with any
extra length taken up by the present invention somewhere along the
cable so that a range of distances can be neatly connected with
optical cable by having the present invention take up the unneeded
length.
[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
efficiently provide means to vary the length of cable from a
position along its middle which can be small, light and relatively
economical.
[0008] Another object is to provide a retractable cable reel which
requires no commutation or sliding contacts.
[0009] Another object is to provide factory assembled optical cable
assemblies to lengths that can be conveniently varied.
[0010] These and other objects and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after
considering the following detailed specification, together with the
accompanying drawings wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cable reel assembly of the
present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the assembly of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the present invention with the
top housing thereof removed;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of the cable reel of the
assembly with the cable attached thereto;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged top cross-sectional view of the
reel position maintaining releasable retention lever of the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the assembly of the present
invention with cable extending out of the same side of the
assembly; and
[0017] FIG. 7 is a side view of the present invention being used to
vary the length between connectors of an optical cable.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference
numbers, number 100 in FIGS. 1 and 2 refers a retractable headset
assembly 100 which as shown assembled in FIG. 1 and disassembled in
FIG. 2. The assembly 100 includes a top housing portion 102, and a
bottom housing portion 104 having opposite openings 105 and 106
through its cylindrical side 107. The two housing portions 102 and
104 when assembled define a generally cylindrical interior cavity
108. A reel 110 having a closed side formed by a generally circular
disk 112, a generally cylindrical reel hub 113, and an open side
114 is rotatably mounted in the interior cavity 108. The hub 113
includes a pair of spaced slots 116 and 118 though which a central
portion 120 of a multi-wire cable 122 is retained. This is shown in
detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. The opposite ends 122a and 122b of the
cable 122 extend through the opposite openings 105 and 106 and are
normally connected respectively between the jack of a cell phone by
means of plug 123a and a headset 123b therefor shown including a
ear piece 124a and a microphone 124b. A coil spring 125 is
connected between the hub 113 and a central, cylindrical retention
post 126 extending from the bottom housing portion 104 by a hook
127 which engages the hub 113 at a slot 128, to bias the reel 110
so that the reel winds up the cable 122 doubly there about. A
central bearing surface 129 through the disk 112 centers the reel
110 on the post 126 for rotation thereabout. The normal position of
the cable 122 is wound around the reel hub 113. When a length of
cable 122 is desired, pulling on either or both ends 122a and 122b
of the cable 122 extends the cable 122 out of the openings 105 and
106, keeping the housing portions 102 and 104 and the reel 110,
generally in the middle of the cable 122.
[0019] The edge 130 of the disk 112 includes a plurality of detents
132. A releasable retention lever 134 (enlarged view in FIG. 5)
pivoted to the lower housing portion 104 on post 135 includes a
pawl 136 biased by spring 137 into the edge 130 to engage one of
the detents 132. The pawl 136 is restricted in motion range by
engagement with a portion 144 of the cylindrical side 107 whereas
the spring 137 acts between a spring retainer portion 146
upstanding from the bottom housing portion 104 and an interior
abutment surface 148 of the retention lever 134. This holds the
reel 110 against the bias imposed thereon by the spring 125 so as
to releasably maintain a given length of cable 122 unwound from the
reel 110. A retractor lever portion 150 of the releasable retention
mechanism 134 extends beyond the cylindrical side 107. When the
portion 150 is depressed, the pawl 136 releases the detent 132 with
which it is in contact and allows the spring 125 to rewind the
cable 122 onto the reel 110. Note that twice the amount of cable
122 is retracted and extends as the diameter of the hub 113,
reducing the rotation requirements of the coil spring 125.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 6, both ends 122a and 122b of the cable 122
may be extended out of the same side of the assembly 100. This
configuration is for use when the assembly includes a large
quantity of cable from which it may hang.
[0021] In addition to providing an electrical connection of
variable length, the assembly 100 may be configured with optical
cables 160 instead of electrical ones as shown in FIG. 7. In this
way, standard length ranges of optical cables 160 with factory
installed connectors 162 and 164 may be provided to connect optical
devices. For example if an assembly 100 can retract fifty feet of
optical cable, then assemblies 100 capable of accommodating
distances between optical devices of zero to fifty feet, fifty to
one hundred feet, one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet, and so
on can be produced to eliminate cable takeup trays and yet not
require field optical fiber cutting and connector attachment.
[0022] Thus, there has been shown novel demodulation apparatus and
demodulation method which fulfill all of the objects and advantages
sought therefor. Many changes, alterations, modifications and other
uses and applications of the subject invention will become apparent
to those skilled in the art after considering the specification
together with the accompanying drawings. All such changes,
alterations and modifications which do not depart from the spirit
and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the
invention which is limited only by the claims that follow.
* * * * *